A Rubber Chicken in Every Pot

Loved, loved, loved the recent article in the Chicago Sun-Times about the town of Cicero buying 250 rubber chickens. According to the report, the town bought them to “hand out to children who attended an event the town cosponsored to salute the achievements of local television personality Son of Svengoolie, whose use of rubber chickens in his act is well known.”

The thought of hundreds of children walking around with rubber chickens is a hoot. I just love a town with a sense of humor. But there other novelty items the town might consider purchasing in the future:

Joy buzzers for town officials to use when shaking hands with visiting dignitaries

Magic 8 Balls to help the town board make decisions

Chinese finger traps to help school kids walk in twos

Snake nut cans to add life to boring public hearings

Whoopee cushions for interrogation chairs at the police department (nothing breaks the tension and helps establish rapport like a good laugh!)

I invite municipalities to call me for other creative ideas on how to strategically use novelty products at taxpayer expense. I would do it pro bono, of course, so it would be money well spent.

Little did I expect to be embroiled (or Kentucky fried) in controversy for an appearance I did in Cicero about three years ago. I do recall signing many of the chickens for Cicero VIPS, who were not children- at least, not physically.
Also, since January of 1995, when I joined WCIU and Weigel Broadcasting, I have been known as simply “Svengoolie”- having had the original Sven, Jerry G. Bishop, declare me “all grown up” and telling me to dump the “Son of” part of the monicker.

Already done … we’re waiting with buzzers in hand and whoopee cushions to great the Chicago Sun-Times if they ever can find the resources to actually cover the Town of Cicero and a few of the other events we sponsor that they don’t think are interesting, like Mexican Independence Day.